Collapsible trunk, box, crate, and the like.



F. W. WINKLIR, IR.

coELAPsTLE TRUNK, Box, CRATE, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNI-:28. ISIS. 1,184,156. Patente-d May 23,1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

F. W. WNKLER,1R.

coLLAPsIBLE TRUNK, Box, CRATE, AND THE UKE.

AFPI-.ICATION HLED ]UNE?8| |915. LSQ. Patented May 23, 1916.

FREDERICK WILLIAM 'WINKLER JR., 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

COLLAPSIBIE TRUNK, BOX, CRATE, AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May as, wie..

Application mea Jane as, 1915. serial No. 36,707.

To all wwme't may concern Beit known that I, FREDERICK WILLIAM WINKLER, Jr., citizen of the United States, residing at 122- Cooper street, Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and'State of VNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Trunks, Boxes, Crates, and the like, of which .the following is a specication.

IThis invention relates to a collapsible or foldable trunk, box, crate or the like, 'for use in shipping merchandise, packages or articles, and which when not in use may be packed or folded into a small' space for shipment or for storage. rEhe object of theinvention is to provide improved means ing thermembersl of the boxnin open or unfolded positions, and to this end the inven- -tion consists in the novel construction, arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter more particularly describedv and illustrated, and clearly pointed out inthe appended claims. 4

1n `the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated one convenient embodiment of the invention as applied to a trunk or box, but it will be understoodv that the invention is equally applicable to crates or the like, having the sides thereof f 'or'med of spaced slats or boards. l y

ln these drawingsz Figure 1 fis a front view-of a trunk or box" constructed inaccordancey with the invention, in open or unfl folded condition, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal.

sectional view thereof',Fig. 3 is a frontview o`f the trunk or boxin collapsed' or` folded condition, Fig. 4 is an end view of the trunk or box in open oryunfolded condition, Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view thereof, Fig.

6 is an lend view of the. trunk or box` in collapsed or folded condition,=Fig.

7isa

detail plan view .of the means employed for holding the members of the trunk 4or'- box in'open condition, andFig. 8'.-is a front view of the means shown in Fig. 7. 'v The front wall 1 of thev trunkis hinged at 2' to the bottom 3 .which maybe. provided y withA batten's or slats 4: if desired,land the back wall' is hinged at 6- to 'mbar or rail 7 secured-by screws or other securing means to the bottom. The barf'or rail height substantially he thickthe 'same as t ness of the front wall 1,- so that the latter may be folded about the hinges 2 toy lie upon 4 thebottom 3, and the back wall 5 may then for-rigidly and firmly hold- 7 is of al be folded about the hinges 6, to lie upon the folded front wall 1, as clearly shown in Fig. 6.

The left hand side Wall 8 ofthe trunk is hinged at 9 to a bar or lrail 10, secured to the bottom 3 by-screws or otherA securing means, the bar 10 being of a .height substantially the same as the combined thicknesses of the front and back walls land 5, so that the wall 8 may be folded about the hlnges 9 to lie upon the folded walls 1 and 5. The right-hand side wall 11 is similarly hinged at'12 to a bar or rail 13, of the same height as the bar l0, and when folded lies upon the folded walls 1 and 5.

rlhe front and back walls l and 5 are of such length that in unfolded positions they lie between the walls 8 and 11, Figs. 1 and 7, and in folded positions they lie between the bars or rails 10 and 13, Fig. 3. The side walls 8 and 11 are of4 a width equal to that vof the bottom 3 as shown in Figs. 4 and 6.

The side walls 8 and 11 are provided at their front and rearv edges with plates 14, Fig.- 7 which are preferably of right-angular cross-section as shown, and are secured to said walls by suitable securing means,

such as rivets 15. The plates 14 on 'the front edges of the walls 8 and 11. and those on the rear edges thereof, respectively extend toward each other beyond the said walls, as shown in Fig. 7. so that whenthe front. back and-side' walls are in open or unfolded "positionsythefwalls 1' and 5 engage the plates -14,.a nd are thereby7 prevented from 'enter apertures 17 in the 'plates 14 and tbllS hold the sidewalls 8 and 11 againstfurther outward movement. The side. walls are.- of course. prevented' from inward movement by engagement with the side edges of the front and' hack walls. Y i

0n the inner ends of the pins 16 are pivotallv arranged catches 18. which are adaptl ed when the walls are in onen or unfolded nositinns to he turned Vto enter slots or recesses 19 formed in the side walls 8 and'11. The engagement of the catches 18 with the walls of the recesses 19nrevents movement of the walls 1 and 5 inwardly or into foldedpositions. The catches 18 occupy the position indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 8, when the walls are folded or to be folded.

The pins 16' are preferably carried by plates 19 secured by screws 20 to the walls 1 and 5, collars 21 preventing movement of the -pins inwardly relatively to the plates,

attached to the back ,wall 5 by hinges 23,y

which preferably are open hinges in. order that the lid can be readily attached to and detached from the back wall asdesired. The lid 22, when closed is secured to the front wall l by a hasp-f24 and lock 25, but any other form of securing means, su'ch as a hasp and padlock may be employed. 'Ordinary trunk catches 26,`having coperating parts on the lid 22 'and wall 1 may also be used.

lThe bottom 3 and lid 22, are provided with retainers 27, through which straps 28 are lpassed in order to; hold the parts in folded position, as shown in Fig. l3. If desired, the bottom 3 might 'be provided with a duplicate set of hinges, similar tohinges 23, and with a duplicate lock, similar to lock 25,.. so that the lid could be hinged and locked -to the bottom` 3 to hold the parts in folded positions.

It will readily be seen that with the construction described the Walls of the trunk, box or the like will be rigidly and firmly held in open or-unfolded position, and that the walls may be folded, or unfolded and secured together with great ease and quickness. Further, there are-only a few simple and easily assembled parts required and there are no loose parts to become misplaced or'lost.

I claim 1. A collapsible trunk, comprising in combination, a bottom member, side walls hingedly mounted on said bottom member and foldable inwardly, plates secured at the side edges of certain of said side Walls and engaged by the remaining side walls, said plates having apertures therein, pins carried by the last mentioned side walls and extending on both sides thereof, the outer ends of said pins engaging the apertures in said plates. and catches pivoted on the inner ends of said pins .for preventing inward movement of the last mentioned side walls.

' 2. A collapsible trunk, comprising in combination, a bottom member, side wallsand engaged by the remaining side walls,`

said plates having apertures therein, plates secured to the last mentioned side walls on the interior surfaces thereof, pins carried by said plates, extending on both sides of said side wallsand engaging at their outer ends in the apertures in the first ,mentioned plates, means on said pins for preventing inward movement thereof, and catches -on the inner ends of the pins for preventing inward movement of the last mentioned side' walls. p

3. A collapsible trunk, comprising in combination, a bottom member, side walls hingedly mounted on said bottom member and foldable inwardly, pins carried by certain of said side walls and extending on both sides thereof, means carried by the re- 'maining side walls coacting with the outer ends of said pins to hold th last mentioned side walls in position, an means on the inner ends of said pins for preventing inlward movement of the first l mentioned side walls.

. 4. A collapsible trunk, comprising in combination, ay bottom member, side walls hingedly lnounted on said bottom member and foldable inwardly, pins carriedv by certain of said side walls and extending on both sides thereof, means carried by the remaining side walls coacting .with the outer ends of said pins to hold the last mentioned side walls in position, and catches pivotedv on the inner ends of said pins for'preventing inward movement of the first mentioned side walls.

5. A collapsible trunk, comprising in combination, a bottom member. side wallsl hingedly mounted on said bottom member,

' and foldable inwardly, plates secured on the inner surfaces of certain of said side walls, pins carried by said plates and extending on both sides` of said side walls, means carried by the remaining' side walls coactingwith the outer ends of said pins to hold the last mentioned side walls in position, means on said pins for preventing inwardmovement thereof, and catches pivoted on the inner ends of said pins for preventing inward movement of the first mentioned side walls.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.`

FREDERICK WILLIAM WINKLER, JR.

Witnesses: l

FREDERICK WILLIAM WINKLER, LEON SPRINz. 

